The Chicago Traveler

Chicago may be known for its warm and friendly Midwestern ways, but the city has plenty of spooky tales and creepy locations. Here are just a few that have been featured right here on The Chicago Traveler.
• The site of the Eastland Disaster is marked by a historical plaque, but some visitors to the historic location have reported hearing screams and cries for help coming from the Chicago River. In addition, the old armory building where most of the dead bodies were stored is still in use today. Many of its inhabitants have reported unexplained voices, sounds of crying, and …read more

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At Wacker Drive and La Salle Street stands a plaque commemorating the Eastland Disaster. While this was one of the worst tragedies in the United States, it is remarkably unfamiliar to most people.
The S. S. Eastland was a passenger ship that was used for tours in Chicago. On July 24, 1915, the boat was chartered to take employees from Chicago’s Western Electric Company to a picnic in Michigan City, Indiana. That morning, 5000 people (many of whom were of German descent or Czech immigrants) showed up at the Chicago River to begin boarding around 6:30 a.m., and in under an …read more

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• These are the last few days to take part in the Chicago Originals Restaurant Week Celebration. A select number of restaurants offer two- or three-course dinners specially priced at $20.08 in honor of the New Year. For a list of participating businesses, head to http://www.chicagooriginals.com/ (ends Feb 3)
• Brrrr… It’s cold out there, which is perfect weather for Chicago’s newest attraction, Paintings Below Zero. A brilliantly colored ice wall that is nearly 100 feet long (30 m) and over 10 feet tall (3 m) is the largest and perhaps most stunning work from Canadian artist Gordon Halloran. (Feb 1-29)
• …read more

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It’s time to say good-bye to 2007. The year has treated me very well. I moved to a new apartment, did some traveling, and, best of all, began writing The Chicago Traveler! Many thanks to Mary Jo and everyone at b5media who has been so welcoming and helpful.
Even though The Chicago Traveler is only a few months old, let’s take a look back at the ten most popular articles of this year.
10. Abegweit. Resting peacefully on Lake Michigan, this beautiful ship was once the most powerful icebreaker in the world.
9. Let’s Boogie Records & Tapes. This music store on the …read more

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Straight east from the Aon Center and the Blue Cross-Blue Shield Tower, resting directly on Lake Michigan is the Q.S.M.V. (Quadruple Screw Motor Vessel) Abegweit, the “Queen of The Northumberland Strait.” At 372 feet long and 62 feet wide, this massive ship was able to carry 950 passengers and 60 cars and worked for the Canadian National Railways for 35 years before becoming the Operations Center for the Columbia Yacht Club here in Chicago.
In June 1947, Mrs. J. Walter Jones, wife of the Premier of Prince Edward Island, christened the Abegweit, making year-round service possible from Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick …read more

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It’s impossible to talk about Chicago attractions without talking about Navy Pier. It’s the place to go when you can think of absolutely nothing else to do. There’s always something going on there.
This 3,000-foot attraction on the shoreline of Lake Michigan was originally opened to the public in 1916. It was known as “Municipal Pier #2″ (#1 was never built), and it was both a shipping and entertainment area. And while it experienced a “golden era” of success, its popularity declined in the ’30s, due to the introduction of cars, the opening of movie theatres, and the lack of shipping …read more

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